Turkey Leftover Day

Turkey Leftover Day, observed every year on November 28, is a fun, practical food holiday dedicated to giving that post-Thanksgiving bird a delicious second act. Because November 28 always falls right in the sweet spot after Thanksgiving—and right near the end of the safe refrigeration window for cooked poultry—it serves as the perfect reminder to get creative in the kitchen before your holiday feast goes to waste.

Instead of settling for another plain cold sandwich, this day encourages home cooks to transform extra turkey into fresh, healthy, and flavorful meals that the whole family will actually look forward to eating.

Turkey Leftover Day History & Origins

Like many grassroots food observances listed on holiday calendars, Turkey Leftover Day has no known official founder or formal proclamation, it grew naturally out of the American Thanksgiving tradition.

While turkey became the centerpiece of Thanksgiving in the mid-1800s thanks to magazine editor Sarah Josepha Hale and President Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 holiday proclamation, the art of repurposing extra turkey truly took off in the twentieth century.

In fact, leftover Thanksgiving turkey famously inspired one of America's biggest convenience food inventions in 1953, when C.A. Swanson & Sons found itself with 260 tons of unsold frozen turkey after the holiday and packaged it into aluminum trays, creating the very first TV dinner.

Today, Turkey Leftover Day celebrates a much healthier, home-cooked approach to that same resourceful spirit, inspiring cooks to turn extra turkey into soups, salads, casseroles, and new family favorites.

Turkey Leftover Food Safety & Storage Tips

• The 2-Hour Rule: Refrigerate or freeze carved turkey and side dishes within 2 hours of cooking to prevent bacteria growth.

• Fridge Life (3–4 Days): Cooked turkey stays safe in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days—making November 28 the ideal deadline to finish up your holiday bird or move portions to the freezer.

• Freezer Life (2–6 Months): Store sliced or shredded turkey in airtight freezer bags (with a splash of broth to keep it moist) for 2 to 6 months for best quality.

• Safe Reheating: Always reheat leftover turkey, soups, and casseroles to an internal temperature of 165°F before serving.

Tips for Turkey Leftovers

The information below was written by my sister Kerry of Healthy Diets Habits

Turkey leftovers and Thanksgiving are synonymous! Leftovers abound, and will be unwanted before they are done. A little up front meal planning can help with the overload and end the leftover groaning from family members who are sick of the turkey meal again and again.

Thanksgiving is the one time of year when turkeys are inexpensive. You can usually score a deal at the market, unless you are looking for an organic variety or specific brand. It’s a great time to actually purchase an extra bird or two. Cook them up and freeze them in serving portions for turkey meals in the coming months or simply re-purpose the turkey into some of your favorite meal types.

Tips to Re-purpose Turkey Leftovers

Stir-Fries: Simply substitute chopped turkey into your favorite stir fry recipe! 

Leftover Turkey Soup: If you cooked a turkey and do not make a turkey soup recipe, (pictured below), you are missing out on a real treat. It’s simple to make this soup almost completely using various leftovers. If you don’t have many leftovers, then just use a refrigerator soup recipe and clean out your refrigerator. 

Stews and Potpies: Any stew or potpie recipe is wonderful with turkey instead of chicken. 

Chilies: Simply substitute chopped turkey into your favorite chili recipe. I usually brown the turkey first before adding it to the chili. My friend made turkey chili this year and put it over her dressing and says it was wonderful. Not sure about that combination, but turkey chili is wonderful. 

Curries: Curry is a simple, quick, healthy meal when filled with vegetables. Trader Joe’s has a Curry Simmer Sauce that is delicious. Add butternut squash, peas, zucchini, jalapeno, ginger, and leftover turkey for a quick dinner meal. 

Pasta: Any pasta recipes can work for leftover turkey. Seasonal Vegetable Pastas work well because seasonal vegetables around this time of year are different ones than usually used in the Thanksgiving meal. 

Frittatas: A Frittata is an egg-based dish similar to an omelet or quiche that is full of meat, chopped, vegetables, and cheese. Simply use chopped turkey as your meat source and any leftover vegetables or mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, or whatever sounds good! 

Hash: A hash, is a one-pan meal that has all ingredients chopped into small pieces and then stir fried together in oil. Most recipes include meat, potatoes, and chopped vegetables. This is a great way to get rid of Thanksgiving leftovers. 

Casseroles: Chicken and Turkey can be interchanged in casseroles with success.

Crockpot Meals: Any chicken crock-pot meal that you enjoy can be interchanged with turkey leftovers. A great recipe book is “Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook. 

Potato Pancakes: Thanksgiving means potato pancakes to me. We always make them with our leftover mashed potatoes. Our problem is that my family can eat as many mashed potatoes as I am willing to fix. Last year we had Thanksgiving with a friend and my son asked her if the mashed potato serving bowl that had landed in front of him was his serving. Talk about embarrassing! See Potato Pancake Recipe!

Healthy cooking is about learning to use what you have on hand. Turkey leftovers can be substituted for any recipe that uses chicken. Simply use your healthy recipes and add chopped turkey. Repurposing your leftover ingredients is a great healthy diet habit too. It’s a new meal with a different flavor! You won’t hear complaining about leftovers again!

Whether you are whipping up a comforting pot of turkey soup or tossing extra meat into a quick weekday stir-fry, Turkey Leftover Day on November 28 is the perfect reminder to make the most of your holiday feast. Grab your favorite recipes, get creative in the kitchen, and enjoy every last bite!

Checkout our National Leftovers Day page for more ideas.